Washington’s most effective lobbyists cite expertise, networking and reputation as key traits In the midst of an unraveling industry crisis last year, Erick Gustafson, a seasoned lobbyist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, found himself in unfamiliar territory. As the sub-prime lending turmoil spilled over into the prime mortgage market, MBA found itself straying from its usual strategy of advocating before the authorizing and tax committees of Congress. Instead, it was faced with defending the industry on several additional fronts. “The [lending] issue metastasized to more rank-and-file members [of Congress],” Gustafson said. MBA was asked to testify before the… Read More